Xi addresses study session at the Party School of Central Committee of the CPC

Xi Jinping, general secretary of the Communist Party of China Central Committee, called on Tuesday for young officials to firm up their ideals and beliefs, guard against corruption and moral decline and build up their capabilities in the nation's new era and new journey.

He also underlined the importance of ensuring that officials correctly evaluate their performance, while addressing the opening ceremony of a study session at the Party School of the Central Committee of the CPC attended by young and middle-aged officials.

Ideals and beliefs are the foundation for the CPC to build itself on and to flourish, and they are also the cornerstone for Party officials, Xi said.

For young officials to carry forward the cause of the Party, the most important thing is to continue adhering to Marxism and devoting themselves to communist ideals and the ideal of socialism with Chinese characteristics, he added.

Xi encouraged Party officials to align their ideals with the endeavor of the Party and the people and take working for the happiness of the people as their greatest source of happiness, which can enable them to live decent and fruitful lives.

He said that strengthening ideals and beliefs should be a lifelong endeavor, and one must remain committed in spite of adversities and tests from various challenges.

Young officials must always bear in mind that staying clean and incorruptible is a blessing, and greed can lead to misfortunes, Xi said, adding that the most important factor in guarding against corruption and moral decline is to strengthen their moral defenses and to start from small matters.

It is important to maintain a sober mind and a firm position in the face of key issues of right and wrong and issues of political principle, he said.

He warned officials against double-dealing and told them not to give any ground with regard to the Party's principles, saying that officials must always be in awe of power and ensure that power is exercised fairly, in accordance with the law, for the people and in a clean manner.

All Party members must always keep in mind that delivering more benefits to the people is the greatest achievement in one's career, and the Party must adhere to its fundamental purpose of wholeheartedly serving the people and see to it that growth is for the people and relies on the people, and that its fruits are shared among the people, Xi said.

The general secretary reiterated the need to implement the new development philosophy, foster a new development paradigm and promote high-quality development, saying that the nation cannot take the old path in its journey to work toward its second centenary goal of fully building a modern socialist country.

He urged officials to keep their feet on the ground, come up with concrete measures and pursue pragmatic results, saying approaches that are only concerned with slogans and big talk must be phased out.

For young officials to take up leadership positions, the most important quality is their theoretical accomplishment, he said, calling for officials to enhance their theoretical learning, strengthen their level of competence and seek truth from real practice.

For China to realize its grand goal of national rejuvenation, the whole Party must continue to carry forward the spirit of daring to take responsibility and to struggle, Xi said.

He called on officials, especially senior officials, to take the historical initiative, and proactively seize opportunities, face up to difficulties and positively respond to risks.

It is imperative that officials keep the major issues of the nation in mind and think and work from big-picture and strategic perspectives, he stressed.

An important lesson from the nation's great struggles over the years is that China can only earn respect, take the initiative and defend its sovereignty, security and development interests by daring to struggle and excelling in this regard, he said.

He urged officials to always bear in mind the interests of the people, see themselves as part of the people and regard the people's issues as their own.